|
Healthcare Job Happenings |
 |
Understanding Stress and How It Really Impacts You |
|
|
By Irene Tamaras |
|
|
For
years I blindly accepted the high level of stress in my life as a
burden I was supposed to bear. I didn't understand the severe impact
that my stress would have on my health and my life. But most of all, I
didn't know that I could actually do something about it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Special Offer! Activate a FREE 7 DAY trial to HealthcareCrossing.com, your complete (re)search engine for when you want to know about all the jobs on the Internet. |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| + Enlarge |
|
Irene
Tamaras soon founded Dynamic Pain Relief, a company that provides
information and products to promote natural pain and stress relief. |
Only
after many years of struggling to regain my health did I learn the
truth behind stress and how it can impact one's life. My quest into
healing gave me this understanding.
Stress is something that we all have in our lives to one degree or
another. It's a natural part of the human experience, and whether it is
emotional in origin or physical, eventually emotional stress can induce
physical stress and vice versa. Through my own experiences and through
my observations as a wellness expert, I have seen firsthand how complex
and unique dealing with stress can be—there are some people who deal
with enormous amounts of stress every day and yet have a fairly easy
time managing it, while there are others among us who live with fewer
stressors or less serious stressors and still have a difficult time
managing stress.
But why is it that some people manage their stress better than others?
First, let me begin by telling you that it is not a sign of weakness to
have difficulty managing stress or to ask for help. Effective stress
management comes from knowledge, education, and a sincere willingness
to change. Many of us mask our stress because we just don't know what
to do about it, even after the ill effects of stress become visible in
our lives.
Second, you should know that there are probably hundreds of reasons why
some of us do better at managing stress, some of which are beyond
conscious control: genetic predispositions, environmental factors, and
conditioned responses such as fear or anxiety are among the examples.
But know this: the ability to control your stress reactions is
something that can be learned by everyone, no matter the degree of
stress in your life.
There are two kinds of stress, both positive stress and negative
stress. Positive stress can usually not hurt us and is useful in that
it challenges us to do better. It is negative stress that is
detrimental, and if not treated over time, it can become all-consuming,
leaving us feeling like there is no way out. Even the simpler mental or
emotional stressors, such as minor aggravations from a significant
other or children, can be detrimental over time.
To begin to deal constructively with your stress, it is important to
first understand it by breaking down what is happening to you mentally,
emotionally, and physically. It is crucial that you make a serious
attempt to examine your life to pinpoint where the stress is
originating from and to identify the changes needed to help you not
only reduce or eliminate your stress, but also improve the quality of
your life. If you don't know where to begin, then ask for help. Turn to
friends if need be, or better yet, seek out professionals such as
psychologists or psychiatrists, wellness or life coaches, or even your
medical doctor.
Of major importance to the body's stress response are the adrenal
glands (also known as "the glands of stress"), which help our bodies to
cope with stress, whether emotional, mental, or physical in nature. In
Chinese medicine, these vital adrenal glands are known as the "root of
life" because they store vital energy and can become severely strained
when under chronic stress. The adrenal glands work interactively with
the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, and our ability to recover
quickly from negative stressors and our energy and endurance depend on
the proper functioning of the adrenal glands.
According to the book Adrenal Fatigue (Smart
Publications, 2002) by James L. Wilson, when "the amount of stress
overextends the capacity of the body to compensate and recover from
that stress," adrenal fatigue is the result.
Adrenal fatigue is a condition that often goes unnoticed by medical
professionals or is erroneously cited as another medical condition, yet
its effect on a person's ability to be healthy is severe. The adrenal
glands are critically important because they secrete hormones that
"influence all of the major physiological processes in your body,"
according to Wilson. Therefore, the body's healing response is directly
affected by the homeostasis of the adrenal glands.
One hormone of major importance in this regard is cortisol, which helps
the body cope with stressors. It is important for normal body function
and affects nearly every organ. When the adrenal glands cannot produce
enough cortisol, adrenal fatigue sets in, resulting in symptoms such as
fatigue, difficulty handling stress, increased time to heal from an
illness or injury, diminished mental capacity, feelings of unhappiness,
and more.
Furthermore, cortisol is important in maintaining blood sugar and
impacts the body's anti-inflammatory and immune reactions. It also
affects the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. When the body
experiences any type of stress, the adrenal glands secrete increasingly
more cortisol because "cortisol protects the cells from stress." With
these extra demands on the adrenal glands, however, the body's capacity
to secrete cortisol is limited.
Learning to reduce or eliminate stress is crucial for giving the
adrenal glands a chance to recover, although this can be a difficult
process for people to manage. One way to aid in this recovery is to
educate ourselves about the importance of vitamin C, which is one of
the most important vitamins involved in adrenal metabolism. According
to Wilson, "the more cortisol made, the more vitamin C used."
In the book The Healing Factor: Vitamin C Against Disease
(Putnam Pub. Group, 1974) by Irwin Stone, the answer given is to change
our thinking about vitamin C and consume enough to replenish this
long-lost "healing factor."
Stone's research, along with that of other renowned pioneers in vitamin
C research, shows that vitamin C has a "remarkable ability to fight
disease." Stone reports that additional vitamin C must be taken during
stressful episodes, such as after injuries and burns, and by those
living with chronic stress because during "increased adrenal activity,
ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is depleted from the gland."
One way to diagnose adrenal fatigue is by taking a 24-hour saliva
hormone test, which measures the amounts of various hormones in the
saliva. According to Wilson, such testing is more effective than blood
testing, which only "measures hormones circulating outside the cells,"
or urine testing, which merely measures the "spill over of hormones out
of the blood and into the urine." In short, unlike saliva testing,
neither blood nor urine testing "correlates with the hormone levels
inside the cells." But even without a formal saliva hormone test, one's
own emotional and physical assessment can prove very informative in
one's evaluation of one's stress and its ramifications on one's health
and quality of life.
Even more serious than adrenal fatigue is Addison's disease, aka
chronic adrenal insufficiency, aka hypoadrenia, which is a rare
endocrine disorder in which the adrenal glands don't produce sufficient
amounts of steroid hormones, including cortisol. Symptoms can include
fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, sweating, muscle weakness,
changes in mood, and joint or muscle pain, and if left undiagnosed and
untreated, the disease can lead to a health emergency. Although there
are many causes for Addison's disease, Wilson states that it is
"usually caused by an auto-immune process but can be induced by stress,
direct infection, destruction, or other causes." Wilson further adds
that the medical establishment only recognizes Addison's disease and
not adrenal fatigue, leaving millions of people suffering as a result.
With education and awareness, there is much we can do to keep our
adrenal glands working properly. It is imperative that we understand
that there is a whole physiological process that takes place in our
body when we have negative stress, anger, emotional outbursts, anxiety,
fear, or other negative reactions. Prolonged negative stress or stress
reactions can damage our vital organs and disrupt the homeostasis of
our body's energy field, thereby reducing immune function, which can
lead to illness and disease. With proper stress management tools and
techniques, we can learn how to make the changes in our lives necessary
to help us feel better and live healthier, stronger, and happier lives.
10 Tips for Stress Relief
- Perception: Oftentimes, the way we
perceive a stress in our life is more critical than the actual stress
itself. Try to break repetitive patterns that keep you trapped in a
vicious cycle resulting in recurring stress.
- Managing Thoughts and Emotions:
Our thoughts affect our emotions. The reactions we have to our thoughts
can trigger physiological reactions throughout our entire body.
Learning to control negative thoughts and emotional reactions is
crucial for preserving harmony between the mind and body.
- Sleep:
Sleep is good medicine because it is during sleep that the body repairs
itself. This includes the adrenal glands. Improving the quality of your
sleep is very important for managing and warding off unnecessary
stress. The National Sleep Foundation (sleepfoundation.org)
offers great sleep tips as well as a self-evaluation quiz to help you
determine the quality of your sleep. Making time for sleep requires
lifestyle changes, sacrifice, and discipline (for example, taking the
television out of your bedroom, not watching television or using the
computer for 1-2 hours before you sleep, and not staying up late), but
the benefits are worth it.
- Food and Drink:
Making good food and beverage choices, especially during times of
stress, is very important. Your body uses nutrients at a faster rate
during such periods because your metabolism is sped up. Choosing wisely
what to eat is very hard, but crucial to healing and staying strong
during times of stress. Avoid sugar as much as you can because it is a
temporary, quick-energy fix which spikes your blood sugar too quickly
and is followed by a "low" that leaves you needing more fuel. Caffeine
is also a stimulant that your adrenals don't need, especially during
times of stress when your adrenals are trying to recover. The book Adrenal Fatigue by James L. Wilson offers an excellent breakdown of the foods and beverages you should eat to recover from adrenal fatigue.
- Vitamin Supplements and Vitamin C:
The food you eat is of critical importance to adrenal health because it
is your body's platform for nutrients. Secondary to good eating habits
is the importance of vitamin supplements and extra vitamin C for
adrenal recovery. Check with your medical professional to determine the
amount of vitamin supplements and extra vitamin C that are right for
you and your overall health. The book Adrenal Fatigue also offers a thorough review of the additional nutrients that will help your adrenals recover.
- Environment:
Consider the environment you live and work in, and try to create a more
harmonious setting for yourself. Change is difficult, and sometimes it
is easier to stay in an unhealthy environment than to actually do
something about it. Remember that you deserve happiness and that it is
up to you to make it happen.
- Fresh Air:
The quality of the air you breathe offers vital atmospheric energy, so
make time to connect with nature—to breath in fresh air. Our hectic
lives can make us forget the importance of getting away from
pollutants, but make this a priority in your life.
- Physical and Mental Exercises:
Getting physical exercise is crucial for staying healthy, and remember
that exercise doesn't have to be vigorous, but can be gentle, too
(yoga, Qi Gong, walking, and swimming, for example, are gentle
exercises). Just as important as physical exercise are mental exercises
such as meditation and visualization. Meditation is an effective tool
that requires effort and discipline. Stilling the mind is very calming
to the nervous system. During stressful times, it may be hard to
concentrate because you may be distracted, tense, and anxious. Consider
buying instructional CDs that can help you meditate and visualize.
- Silence:
Silence can be a great medicine just as quality sleep is. Try to create
silent time for yourself (in addition to the time you meditate or
visualize). During the day, turn off the "external noise" that is
emitted from televisions and computers, and just consider for a moment
all the extra energy it takes to talk, talk, talk. Carve out time to
just be silent. It conserves energy and allows for wonderful
self-reflection.
- Ask for Help:
Stress in our lives can cause so much physical and emotional
destruction, so if you find that you need help managing stress, please
seek it. Your well-being is a gift that only you can give to yourself,
but you may need professional help to put you on the path to good
health and happiness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Facts |
|
|
|
HealthcareCrossing
Fact #205: HealthcareCrossing locates jobs that employers don�t want
everyone to know about and makes them available to you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The only job-opening research institution in the world whose mission is
to track down every job opening through research, offering:
- A comprehensive collection of researched job openings.
- Healthcare job openings from all Fortune 500 and Fortune 1,000 companies
- Healthcare job openings from all Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 companies companies
- Healthcare job openings from virtually every employer career webpage in America
- Healthcare job openings from virtually every job board in America
- Hundreds of 500 highly trained healthcare job-opening research analysts reviewing healthcare jobs
Tell us where to send your access instructions:
|
|
|
|
| Total Healthcare Jobs |
| 152,812 |
|
| New Healthcare Jobs This Week |
| 28,307 |
|
|
| Search All Healthcare Articles |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| TOP 5 JOB SEARCHES |
|
|
|
|
|
Get access to all the Crossings |
|
| Each HealthcareCrossing member gains access to all the Crossings, readily available at their fingertips. |
Sign Up Now
|
|
|
|
See Every Healthcare Job We Can Find on the Internet! |
|
| Only
HealthcareCrossing searches, organizes, and displays every healthcare
job it can find on the Internet (from 10,000-plus websites) for you.
See what everyone in the healthcare industry is talking about, why we
are the fastest growing employment site in America, and why we will
change the way you look for a job (or just research the job market)
forever. Unlike other sites, HealthcareCrossing does not charge
employers to post jobs and actually goes out and finds healthcare jobs!
You're going to love HealthcareCrossing! |
|
|
|
|
|
| HOW WE WORK |
|
Watch Our Latest National TV Commercial!
 |
|
|
|
HealthcareCrossing cares about your individual needs. |
|
|
| AS SEEN IN THE |
|
|
|
|
| TODAY'S FEATURED HEALTHCARE JOB |
|
Occupational Therapy Assistant / COTA - Innovative Senior Care
(Reposted Oct 17)
View Brookdale Senior Living profile and job listings
Staff COTA
Day 1 Benefits...
Employer: Brookdale Senior Living
To Apply: Sign in to HealthcareCrossing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| WHAT MEMBERS ARE SAYING |
|
Meg , Oak Park, IL
The email alerts sent by HealthcareCrossing are cool. I got a job through this feature of the website. Thanks!
|
Antonio , North Hollywood, CA
HealthcareCrossing works fine, and is very easy to use.
|
+ More success stories
+ Share your success story with us
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Career Education Center
|
|
Tell Us What You Think 
|
|
|
|
| Stop wasting time on other job sites. We consolidate jobs from every job board and employer website we can find right here. |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Quick Links
;){kind=link}